Gift
by JunnTheFox
Summary: A weird stone finds its way from family to family, being said to grant wishes. Amy soon gets ahold of this stone, but doesn't believe in such magic, not until Jesse comes in to view as a normal, intelligent child with an unknown past.
1. Chapter 1

The day had faded earlier as winter neared. Night had come round as the hour neared six yet the lights of one house out in the country still continued to glow and cut through the setting darkness, but that wasn't even visible to neighbors that weren't there and houses spread afar into the country.

The owner of the home stayed inside, curled up under a wool blanket he had received from his deceased brother-in-law years before. This man was quite old, but he kept healthy by working outside in the pasture where cattle roamed lazily. He glanced up at the stone that was bought for him for his seventy-seventh birthday—just another day to him—that sat upon the mantel on the fireplace.

The flames seemed to retract from the rock, keeping it in shadow, but the streaks that ran through its black surface still shown in different shades and odd colors. Smiling contentedly to himself, the senior brought his eyes away to the fire that burned brightly under the stone.

His granddaughter bought the gift for him, despite how odd it seemed, and to his own surprise, the man loved this present. He remembered the birthday like the first snow of his own life; the most important thing to his heart and mind.

Jillian was only fifteen then and was busy with school, but she took the time to find a gift and give it to him. She explained that it was from an antique shop for a high price, but they had given in and let her buy it with the money she had saved up for a field trip she never went to.

"The man there was uneasy about this, sure." Jill tilted her head, a guileless smile; as if trying to keep her grandfather from worrying about her intuition or some such. It didn't help, but the old man couldn't help but smile in return. "But it was such an interesting object so I-"

"But why'dya have to spend so much money on just this...stone?" he heard himself interject. The man knew this hurt his grand-baby, but she soon smiled again, a more serious smile.

Jillian then replied in a soft murmur, "Because I love you." She pushed the stone into his hands and it was unbearably cold, but the old man held it still, staring down at its stripped surface. "I can trust you with this, right?" Jill frowned now, worry drowning the blue in her eyes to a gray.

Her grandfather nodded, chuckling out of habit. "Yes, of course, Jilly." Her genuine smile returned.

"One thing before I go." She became grave once more and her bright face didn't come back. "Don't let it crack or break, that means no cleaning it, Grandpa." Jillian emphasized this with a wagging finger, making the man's smile turn to a foolish grin.

She soon continued, "The man at the shop said that this stone can grant you anything you want; money, power...anything."

"How is this possible?"

Jill frowned at his laughing. "Some people might not believe...in what the gift they receive. But smiles can turn to dust...and the gift will lose your trust."

He still didn't understand such a poem, but he didn't think much of it. Chuckling once more at this memory, the old man shook his head at the stone, soon standing to place it in his hands.

This man knew that wishes and magic in stones weren't real. They only existed in fairy tales. And he made sure of it by wishing for his brother to return from the grave.

He had yet to come, and the man laughed at this now...he had for days that turned to months. Setting the stone back down on the mantel, his face falling when he heard a knock at the door.

The old man, muttering and grumbling about how late it was, pulled his robe around himself tight and reached for his cane before trudging to the front door.

"Yes, yes, who is it?" A man around his own age stood there in the dark. The man knew this figure all too well, and it scared him a bit. "S-Sean?"

The shadow of his deceased brother held something in both hands, maybe a weapon of some kind. He soon turned and started to walk off. The old man ran out after him, calling his brother's name frantically.


	2. Chapter 2

Sonic kept his pace slow and silent as he eased to the master bedroom, a sly grin devouring his muzzle as he continued to edge towards the room. He peeked inside, his grip tightening a bit on the gift he held behind his back as he watched his beloved rose try straightening up the room even more than it already was.

With a quick step, the blur was over to the pink hedgehog and holding the carefully wrapped box out to her, making her flinch with the sudden movement. She soon smiled softly, almost in annoyance.

"Sonic," she started, fixing the corner of a newly washed bedspread that she laid out upon the mattress, "what's that?"

"It's a present." Sonic made a face, pushing it out towards her again until she took it from his hands. "Merry Christmas, Ames."

The female hedgehog stared up at him for a moment before giggling and shaking the small box up to her own ear, as if the rattling inside will tell her what it was. "Sonic, you shouldn't have."

Sonic just smiled, watching her, his eyes dancing as he rocked back and fourth on his heels. He was waiting for her to open the darn thing. Amy, noticing her husband's fidgeting, soon peeled the paper from the box as carefully as she could before actually getting to the cardboard.

She stared down inside it, confusion and disappointment clear on her young face as she soon pulled the gift out from the box. Amy held a stone in one hand, almost not noticing how cold the surface was.

"Sonic...what is it?" Her jade eyes flickered up to his spring green ones as he gave a bashful smile.

He stepped closer to wrap an encouraging arm around her shoulders as she continued to frown at the stone. Sonic soon explained gently, "I got it from the antique shop downtown. I thought you'd like it."

"It's a irock/i, Sonic."

"That's not what the owner of the shop said." The blue blur gave another sly smile, taunting his lover as she glanced sedately up at him. Amy soon brought her attention back down to the stone as she ran her thumb along one streak that raced up through the middle of the rock.

"Well, it isn't a Chaos Emerald, that's for sure."

"True. But...it grants wishes."

"Oh, Sonic. Enough." Amy shot a nasty glance toward him, making Sonic release her almost instantly. He nodded before continuing in such annoying persistence.

"The owner was dead serious 'bout it." Sonic shrugged, stepping off to look at a shelf of novels that sat in a far corner of the room. Amy had read each one. "He said that it was able to grant wishes. But...he said something about...ah, I dunno."

Amy sighed as she placed the stone down on the side table at the right. She said nothing for a few tense moments before parting her lips to speak to Sonic, who was busy scratching his ear at the varieties of books in front of himself. He was still just as childish as he was when they were both young.

"Thank you, Sonic, for getting me a present. It means a lot." The blur turned to her, smiling his sly smile as he nodded in reply.

Amy fell quiet as she tried to smooth the creases from the bed sheets, soon leaving it be to walk off to the balcony in the chilly Winter air. She had lived in this house ever since she had wed Sonic, two years...maybe three for all she knew. Things were quiet and empty since then, and all of her childhood friends went on their own separate ways, only being heard when they needed help with something.

But life seemed to have stopped when the baby died. It wasn't their fault...at least that's what they had thought themselves. Sonic acts like nothing has happened, but he never brings up the subject about his son that was born cold and unmoving. He just smiles sadly and shrugs before turning to carry on with something else.

Amy got over it quickly, but the bitter feeling of the loss gnawed at her heart. She thought it was better that he died in the womb then after he was born. It was something confusing and hard to explain, but she could still smile if she thought about her opinion on the death. Yet...the hedgehog promised herself to never try again, to never have a family and live alone with Sonic or just by herself when he was out with friends.

Before she had a chance to blink once more, Sonic was over in a blue flash, handing the stone out to her once more. Amy smiled wearily as she stood up straight, not even knowing that she was once leaning on the railing of the balcony.

"Make a wish, then," Sonic urged, pouting, "before we all forget." His lover plucked the rainbow-stripped rock from his palms, shaking her head at him. He grinned, sharp white teeth appearing from behind his lips.

Sonic rocked back and fourth before chuckling. "I'ma make dinner." Amy opened her mouth to argue when the blur disappeared in a quick step. She was left alone with the stone in her hands, frowning at the air where her sweetheart once stood.

Amy looked back down to the hunk of rock that lay cold and bare in her hands. Laughing softly to herself, she now shook her head down at the O-magical-piece-of-rock. She didn't believe in fairy tales, and she definitely didn't believe in this stone that would grant her one wish.

Before answering the thud that sounded downstairs from the kitchen, Amy muttered something to the stone...just a joke or to let herself know she was still able to speak, then slipped it into the back pocket of her wool robe. She shut and locked the doors leading to the balcony behind herself.

Sonic was downstairs, zipping around the kitchen in attempt to make spaghetti. Amy watched this frantic movement before trying to step in to poke the head of a wooden spoon at the clumps of noodles in a pot of boiling water. She hated it when he tried making dinner, but she said nothing of it, happy that he cared enough to try to make supper for her and himself. He usually made such a mess in the kitchen.

The male hedgehog soon took notice of her and stepped over, only to tear his eyes away to cut some pieces of bread; the only thing he can really do when it came to food.

"I've been thinking..." The sentence trailed off. Amy wasn't used to Sonic sounding so serious, so she paused to listen to him, but kept her eyes focused on the pot in front of herself. "...I mean, we lost Kyle and all but...I think we should...try adopting a child."

Amy spun round to him, her eyes dilated in agony and confusion. She didn't know why this upset her so much, but she couldn't help but feel such pain when he had said this. Sonic didn't turn to look at her.

"Sonic! W-we can't. I mean, we can't possibly-"

"But we ican./i" He shook his head, almost catching his index finger with the blade of the knife, but Amy didn't notice. "I'm not going to sit here and let our marriage become more like a friendship."

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean...I want a son. I want someone to teach and to show how to play. God, I-I can't sit around like this."

Amy glared now, feeling her eyes prick with tears, but she didn't cry...only glared before turning back to the pot of spaghetti noodles. "So you're bored of me?"

"No." Now it was Sonic's turn to look over. "I just want a family."

Things fell completely silent as they continued to prepare dinner at their slow pace.


	3. Chapter 3

They both went together. Sonic was the one to lead, saying he didn't need the car to walk to the orphanage downtown. Amy ended up having to hitch a ride up on his back. It has been a silent week between the two ever since that Christmas night, and Amy soon agreed to try and see if she wanted to adopt.

Sonic smiled proudly at this, despite how his wife might back out of it. Not a word passed his lips, though, during the whole trip down to the wooden home that sat between two alleyways. Despite its location, the orphanage was pretty safe for children; human and animal-like.

A nun sat outside of the home upon the steps leading up to the front door as she watched children run around, giggling and laughing and playing—something all kids do—but she still smiled, even though she wasn't playing herself. She only noticed the couple once Sonic stepped over, glancing around.

A few humans stumbled over to him, eyes widened in awe at this hero they played video games of and read comics about. Twins got excited over him, keeping him in the middle of the small circle forming. The blur soon gave up his own jacket to the twins, chuckling heartily like it was nothing.

Amy was left alone with the nun with deep blue eyes.

Truth was, the hedgehog was jealous of this human...jealous that she had pretty eyes and a nice smile, but she said nothing of it, and tried to look sincere.

"They're really active," was the first thing the young woman said, smiling gleefully.

Amy nodded in agreement, watching a child zip past her to meet Sonic.

"But they're all sweet children," the human continued sweetly.

"Yeah...sure." The nun fell silent, watching Amy politely as she soon brushed the back of her skirts.

"Well, you can head inside," she said, her voice lacking emotion now, "Sister Livi will give you a tour around the orphanage, if you'd like." Amy nodded absentmindedly, soon turning on heel before giving Sonic and the children one last glance then heading inside.

A few children ran past in excitement, only very few stopping to wave and smile to Amy. She gave very few smiles in return as she walked upstairs in silence.

There weren't as many children as she thought there was going to be, and it made her feel a bit more at ease. It would be easier to choose, easier to think and watch...but it was still the same...and it felt like she was trying to replace her dead child.

Continuing to walk at a sluggish trudge, Amy glanced in each room, finding the beds empty as well as the classes, except for a few nuns or children making up a test. She soon stepped inside a bright room, the walls a white and all of the beds made with care, but she couldn't help but try to smooth out the creases in one mattress, only to find that the lump underneath the sheets was solid.

Amy, looking around for any being nearby, soon brought her eyes to the bump that protruded from under the bed before uncovering it from the sheets. It was a journal...or a diary of some kind.

It looked quite old, but the binding was sturdy, and the cover remained untainted and clean. Amy thought of it more like a novel than some sort of diary.

Flipping to the first page in curiosity, Amy tried to decipher the writing scribbled down onto the paper. It was foreign to her, and she knew it wasn't Latin whatsoever. Amy soon tilted the book to the side in attempt to try and understand this language, only to see a movement in the corner of her eye.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she stuttered, shutting the book quickly as she stared at the boy standing at the doorway, his violet eyes watching her every movement carefully. This boy was a mongoose, his fur being an off-white, but his shaggy hair covering most of his face in clumps of black. He looked about nine or so...maybe a few years older than most kids in the orphanage.

He stepped over to Amy, his jaw set as he looked up at her. She handed the book to him after hesitating for a tense moment.

"I don't know what it means either," the boy explained softly, setting it back down on the mattress before pulling the blankets over it again. "But it's pretty interesting." Amy watched this boy, confused at how he acted, yet relieved that he wouldn't tattle or throw a fit about her looking through his personal belongings.

"I...like to read," was all Amy could manage to say. The boy's eyes flickered up to her and he said nothing for a moment, as if trying to process all of this. He soon nodded.

"I, as well." He stood upright, tilting his head to the side innocently before extending a hand out to the female in front of himself. "I'm Jesse."

"A-Amy." The hedgehog couldn't keep the stutter out from her voice, and it seemed to stay, but she tried not to look embarrassed about it. She shook his hand uneasily, soon releasing it politely.

This boy wore a buttoned-down, long-sleeved shirt and tan slacks that were a bit too big on him. He was adorable, yet so serious and mature all the same. Amy didn't know whether to pinch his cheek and compliment on how she wanted to eat him up, or treat him like a man her own age.

Before she could say anything more, a flash of blue appeared in the doorway and Sonic watched, soon smiling softly. He stepped over to Jesse, kneeling down to reach his height a bit better before pinching his cheek playfully.

"Aw. Aren't you just adorable?" The boy watched him for a moment, eyes narrowed. Amy was glad she chose to treat him like an adult. Sonic, to her surprise, chuckled softly before standing upright. Jesse said nothing more, walking out from the room at a quick pace when Sister Livi—an older nun of the orphanage—stepped upstairs and to the bedroom.

"He's a very...quiet child. Keeps to himself." Amy sat in the chair in front of the desk, feeling like she was stuck in the doctor's office, waiting for him to say if she was pregnant or not. This tore a larger hole in her heart, but she said nothing, relying on Sonic to do all the important talking. Sonic stood, fidgeting and sometimes pacing back and fourth as he listened.

"The only trouble we have with him is getting him to work in groups and share his projects with the other children," the nun continued, her gnarled fingers quickly flipping through files. "We have no information on his parents though. He never talks about them."

Amy set her jaw, continuing to listen. She liked Jesse, even though she knew he was too mature for her to handle, and it was the same with Sonic. But they found that this was the right thing to do and that Jesse would be a good addition to the family.

Sister Livi's dark eyes flickered over to the couple. She looked a bit troubled, but she tried to hide her worry as she continued to speak, handing paperwork and pens to Sonic and Amy.


End file.
